1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a digital office device for performing copying, printing, scanning, and so forth. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a system for checking operating states of a digital office device to control its internal temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, examples of the digital office device include a copy machine, a printer, a scanner, a facsimile, and so forth. The digital office device performs printing of data received from its receiver unit on a printing sheet.
FIG. 1 illustrates a procedure of performing the printing operation in the printer, as an example of a function performed by digital office devices. Hereinafter, the procedure of performing the printing operation in the printer will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
In a step S100, the printer determines whether printing data are received. The printer proceeds to a step S102 when it is determined that the printing data are received, and returns to the step S100 when it is determined that the printing data are not received.
In the step S102, the printer performs image formation on the received printing data in a conventional manner. A detailed description of performing the image formation is omitted. In a step S104, the printer measures its internal temperature. In a step S106, the printer compares the measured internal temperature with a predetermined value. The printer returns to the step S102 to continue the image formation when the measured internal temperature is determined to be lower than the predetermined value. However, the printer proceeds to a step S108 when the measured internal temperature is determined to be higher than the predetermined value upon the comparison. In the step S108, the printer stops the image formation on the printing data.
Stopping the image formation may prevent the internal temperature of the printer from drastically increasing. In other words, the image formation or an operation of a sheet feeding device may be stopped for the sake of system stability, which allows the internal temperature of the printer to be reduced.
In FIG. 1, the printer stops the image formation when the internal temperature measured by the printer exceeds the predetermined value. However, the printer may stop the image formation when the number of printing sheet with respect to the printing data for forming the image, which is measured by the printer, exceeds the predetermined value.
However, the method for stopping the image formation with respect to the printing data causes several problems. When the internal temperature of the printer exceeds the predetermined value, it cannot be known for how long the image formation should be stopped so that the internal temperature reduces to a specific temperature. Accordingly, when a user sets a specific stoppage time period in the printer, the printer stops the image formation for the set specific time period. In addition, the user sets the same specific time period regardless of operating environments of printers. As a result, there is a need for dealing with problems in the image formation device including the printer resulting from having such stopping arrangements.